A review by nat008
The Mermaid of Black Conch by Monique Roffey

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.5

A story about a mermaid, who gets rescued by a man after American fishermen caught her. Set on a Carribean island in a small community, it slightly explores the legacy of slavery, but is a love story first and foremost. It also deals with jealousy and how woman can treat each other at their worst. The weaving together of folklore and "modern" day life was very enjoyable. I liked how the book was divided into two POVs - prose, divided in stanzas, by the mermaid, diary entries from present day David, and a third-person narrator from David's POV as well. I would've loved to read more from Aycayias perspective though. The diverse cast of characters was well fleshed out. I didn't enjoy how sexual some of it was, and the descriptions of what different men wanted to do once they saw the mermaid; it got a bit excessive in my opinion. It was also kind of weird how often Aycayias innocence and youthfulness were emphasised - she is an adult that's having sex after all, and has been alive for thousands of years now.
All in all an enjoyable book though.